Utility shelf



Jan. 23, 1968 K. F. BROTHERS UTILITY SHELF Fig. 2.

Filed June 19, 1967 ID a Q Q m w A H 14 0 IO w. i q 1 5 I W N INVENTOR. KENNETH F BROTHERS Fig. Q

BY ww4Z1/M4%4Ml/#% a larva s United States Fatent O f 3,364,885 UTILITY SHELF Kenneth F. Brothers, Melrose Park, Ill., assignor to The Nik-O-Lok Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed June 19, 1967, Ser. No. 647,060 4 Claims. (Cl. 108-134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding shelf reinforced by a pair of integral ribs which increase in vertical dimension toward the rearward portion of said shelf. The shelf is swingably mounted upon a bracket and the ribs abut a thickened portion of the bracket and are received within grooves in the bracket. A single hidden coil spring yieldably urges the shelf upwardly toward an upright position wherein abutments on the shelf and bracket engage to block movement past the upright position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention-This invention relates to folding shelves usable, for example, in toilet booths.

Description of the prior arl.--There is in the prior art a large number of folding shelves such as those shown, for example, in the US. patents to Morgan, 1,347,116, Spitz, 1,917,336, Hofiman, 2,069,067 and Hoffman, 3,285,206. One particularly commercially successful folding shelf is shown in the US. patent to Dobkin, 2,49 4,79 8. The Dobkin device, while very satisfactory for its mtended purpose, is capable of being improved upon from the standpoint of providing effective limits to its travel, of providing a more simple spring arrangement, of insuring long continuous operation and effectiveness and of capability to support heavy loads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of this invention might include in a folding shelf, the combination of a bracket, a horizontal shelf having a rearwardly facing recess, a shaft extending through said shelf and said bracket and swingably mount ing said shelf on said bracket, said shaft extending through said recess, a coil spring received in said recess and coiled around said shaft, said spring having one end projecting into said bracket and its opposite end projecting into said shelf and having a stress therein acting to swing said shelf upwardly toward a vertical position, said shelf having a rearwardly projecting first abutment with a downwardly facing surface, an upwardly projecting second abutment with a rearwardly facing surface formed on said bracket, said first and second abutments being adapted to engage one another when said shelf swings to an upright position to limit movement of said shelf past said vertical position, a rib secured to the lower surface of said shelf, said rib increasing in vertical dimension from the forward portion of said shelf to the rearward portion thereof and having a rearwardly facing end which extends vertically and acts as a third abutment, a fourth abutment formed on said bracket projecting forwardly therefrom and having a forwardly facing surface in engagement with said third abutment limiting said; shelf against downward movement past a horizontal position, said bracket having a forwardly projecting flange with a groove therein having a base surface forming a portion of said third abutment, said groove receiving said rib.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved folding shelf.

A further object of this invention is to provide a folding shelf which incorporates effective limits to its travel,

3,364,885 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 which has a simple spring arrangement, which insures long continuous operation and effectiveness and which has the capability to support heavy loads.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inside of a toilet booth showing the folding shelf of the present invention in a folded position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the folding shelf of FIG. 1 showing it in a horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the shelf in a different operating position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a folding shelf 10 which includes a bracket 11 fixed to the wall 12 of the toilet booth by means of bolts 15. Swingably mounted upon the bracket 11 by means of a shaft 16 is a shelf 17. The bracket 11 has formed thereon a pair of upwardly projecting elements 20 which have bores therethrough receiving the shaft 16. The shaft 16 also extends through a rearwardly opening and facing recess 21 which is hidden from the public view by reason of its facing toward the wall 12 when the shelf 17 is horizontal and its facing toward the bracket 11 when the shelf 17 is upright.

Received within the recess 21 is a coil spring 22 which has one end 25 inserted in an aperture 26 in the bracket 11 and has its other end 27 inserted in an aperture 30 in the shelf 17. The spring 22 has a predetermined torsion therein which acts to yieldably hold the shelf 17 in the upright position of FIG. 1.

The shelf 17 has thereon a pair of rearwardly projecting abutments 31 each of which has a downwardly facing surface 32 which engages the rearwardly facing surface 35 of upwardly projecting abutments 36 on the bracket. The upwardly projecting abutments 36 are each joined with and reinforced by the upwardly projecting elements 20. Thus, the abutments 36 and 31 function as limit means for stopping the shelf 17 in the position of FIG. 1 and preventing its striking the wall 12.

When a sufficient amount of weight is placed on the shelf 17, it holds the horizontal position illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The shelf 17 is provided with ribs 40 which are integral with the lower surface of the shelf and which increase in vertical dimension from the forward portion of the shelf to the rearward portion thereof. Each of the ribs 40 have a rearwardly facing end 41 which extends vertically and acts as an abutment engaging an abutment 42 formed on the bracket 11. The bracket 11 has a forwardly projecting flange 45 which has a pair of grooves 46 therein, each having a base surface 47 which forms a portion of the abutment 42. Each of the grooves 46 receives a respective one of the ribs 40.

It can be seen that the bracket 11 is formed with various projections 50 on its rearward face which engage the wall 12 and properly position the bracket 11 relative to the wall. Also, the bracket 11 has forwardly projecting flanges which reinforce the bracket. The shelf 17 is provided with a handle integral with the shelf and permitting the shelf to be pulled downwardly to the illustrated horizontal position.

It will be evident from the above description that the present invention provides an improved folding shelf. It will also. be evident that the folding shelf of the present invention incorporates effective limits to its travel, has a simple spring arrangement and is so constructed and arranged as to insure long continuous operation and effectiveness. It will also be evident that the folding shelf of the present invention has the capability to support heavy loads. 7 v

While-the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a folding shelf, the combination of a bracket, a horizontal shelf having a rearwardly facing recess, a shaft extending through said shelf and said bracket and swingably mounting said shelf on said bracket, said shaft extending through said recess, a coil spring received in said recess and coiled around said shaft, said spring having one end projecting into said bracket and its opposite end projecting into said shelf and having a stress therein acting to swing said shelf upwardly toward an upright position, said shelf having a rearwardly projecting first abutment with a downwardly facing surface, an upwardly projecting second abutment with a rearwardly facing surface formed on said bracket, said first and second abutments being adapted to engage one another when said shelf swings to upright position to limit movement of said shelf past said upright position, a rib secured to the lower surface of said shelf, said rib increasing in vertical dimension from the forward portion of said shelf to the rearward portion thereof and having a rearwardly facing end which extends vertically and acts as a third abutment, a fourth abutment formed on said bracket projecting forwardly therefrom and having a forwardly facing surface in engagement with said third abutment limiting said shelf against downward movement past a horizontal position, said bracket having a forwardly projectingflange with a groove therein having a base surface forming a portion of said third abutment, said groove receiving said rib.

4 2. The folding shelf of claim 1 additionally comprising a pair of upwardly projecting elements each having an aperture therethrough, said elements being formed on said bracket, said shaft extending through said apertures and said shelf being located between said elements.

3. The folding shelf of claim 2 additionally comprising an additional rearwardly projecting first abutment with a downwardly facing surface, an additional upwardly projecting second abutment with a rearwardly facing surface forrned on said bracket, said additional first and second abutments being adapted to engage one another when said shelf swings to upright position to limit movement of said shelf past said upright position, an additional rib secured to the lower surface of said shelf, said rib in creasing in vertical dimension from the forward portion of said shelf to the rearward portion thereof and having a rearwardly facing end which extends vertically and acts as an additional third abutment, an additional fourth abutment formed on said bracket projecting forwardly therefrom and having a forwardly facing surface in engagement with said additional third abutment limiting said shelf against downward movement past a horizontal position, said flange having an additional groove therein having a base surface forming a portion of said additional third abutment, said additional groove receiving said additional rib.

4. The folding shelf of claim 3 wherein said grooves and third abutments are located inboard of said second abutments and said second abutments are joined to and reinforced by said upwardly projecting elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,917,336 7/1933 Spitz 108134 2,069,067 1/1937 Hoffman 108.134 XR 2,494,798 1/1950 Dobkin 108-434 2,824,599 2/1958 Quinlan 108134 XR 2,905,424 9/ 1959 Snow 108-134 XR 2,967,077 1/1961 Suben 108-135 3,285,206 11/1966 Hoffman 108-134 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

